Newsletter

Opening of Thailand-China Joint Laboratory on Microbial Biotechnology

On 19 October 2018, NSTDA President and Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) officially launched the Thailand-China Joint Laboratory on Microbial Biotechnology. This Joint Laboratory will capitalize on the expertise of Thai and Chinese researchers to harness the power of microorganisms to develop solutions for global challenges.

Microbial biotechnology is a scientific discipline that enables scientists to discover useful applications of microorganisms, critical to advances in various industry that relies on microbial agents and microbial processes such as food, pharmaceutical and environmental technology.

Thailand-China Joint Laboratory on Microbial Biotechnology is a collaborative lab among three major research institutes in Thailand and China, namely the Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMCAS), Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR) and the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), a member of NSTDA. The three institutes have been collaboratively engaging in research and development in microbial biotechnology fields for years, particularly in the area of microbial database establishment and management under the framework of World Federation for Culture Collections (WFCC) and the Asian Consortium for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Microbial Resources (ACM). The joint laboratory will further enhance the collaboration, especially on joint research in microbial biotechnology. In this initial stage, five joint research projects have been set up:

Yeast Evaluation and Biotechnology Application

High Value Compound from Microalgae and its Application

Exploration of Fungal Potential in Biotechnology

Synthetic Biotechnology for Biochemical Products

Microbial Big Data

This joint laboratory is the first step to connect China to countries in Southeast Asia under the Microbial Silk Road Cooperation, IMCAS’s initiative supporting the “One Belt, One Road” policy of the Chinese Government. It will immensely enhance the collaboration and bring about prosperity to nations along the Microbial Silk Road.

In addition to the launch of Thailand-China Joint Laboratory on Microbial Biotechnology, a Document of Understanding on CAS-NSTDA Joint Program was signed between NSTDA and CAS. The NSTDA-CAS Joint Program is designed to facilitate collaborative activities under the platform of Joint Lab in the priorities of biodiversity & biotechnology, agriculture, material science and technology, computational science and technology, and railway-related science and technology. The two parties aim to facilitate at least 3 joint projects in the next three years, which will generate at least 10 joint publications and 10 joint workshops and seminars.